Clutch mechanism



C. L. COUGHLIN v cwrca lacmmxsu Original Filed lay 14, 1926 Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L.

1 WARE.

COUGHLIN, OF

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, -ASSIGNOR TO BRIGGS AND OI MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A

GORI'ORA'IION 0F DELA- CLUTCH. MECHANISM- This invention refers more particularly to a clutch mechanism especially designed for use with window regulators and is especially F. Briggs.

In the production of devices of the character described ture and the simplified, to

, it is important that the strucmanufacturing processes be effect economies inmanufacture and prevent all possible human error in assembling.

Having this in mind, it is an 0bjer't of my invention to provide an improve clutch device of the-- character described wherein the clutch device proper is formed of four parts, viz: forming the brake drum, a driving member. and its'integral associated parts,

member'and its associated integral parts,

a coiled brake an; exterior housing or casing a driven and spring.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of. an anlsm of the character descrlbed m whlc improved clutch mechthe driving member and its associated parts are formed by driven membe r formed by die It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved clutch die casting and likewise the and its associated parts are castings.

mechanism of the character described wherein the dr ving and driven members are so constructed that when assembled a part carried he two are connected by by one member and extended into an opening in the other to provide a bearing therebetween,

having means the bearing, if desired, for, preventing the wrong assembling of the parts.

It is a flirther objectof this invention toprovide an improved the characterof the driving preventing the clutch mechanism of described wherein the edges member lugs have means for mounting of the brake spring thereon in any way' other than with its inturned' ends engaged over predetermined assembling of edges of the lugs to preclude the improper the clutch-mechanism.

this invention resides in the provisionof an improved, die

cast, driven member havmgits pinion gear strengthened by a shroud on-"g iiard plate of a metal having greatertensile} strength to time prevent any possible destru6 i' of due to 10h ion gear the same may the rough usage to] w be subjected.

Application filed May 14, 1926, Serial No. 109,101.

' the segmental gear Renewed February a, 1928.

K With the above and which will appear as a description proceeds, my invention resides. in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended other objects in view,

claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein di s closed invention may be made as come withm the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated several complete examples of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best modes I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure proved clutch mechanism embodying my invention, parts thereof being in side elevation and parts in section;

Figure 2 is a view through Figure 1 on the taken transversely plane of the line Figure 3 is a perspective view of the driving member assembly, the same being illustrated apart from the clutch mechanism assembly;

Figure 4: is a perspective View of one form of driven member assembly embodying my invention, the same from the clutch mechanism assembly;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating a slightly modified form of driven member wherein the pinion gear teeth are reinforced by a shroud plate, and

Figure '6 is a view similar to Figure 5 of a modified form of driven member. Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, 5 designates the bracket member of a window regulating mechanism adapted to be mounted from the customary lock board or transverse braces, not shown. of an automotivevehicle door frame, a segmental gear journaled thereon and carrying a. window operating arm, not shown, for transmitting the rotational movement of to opening and closing movements of a door or window member, not shown. The window :regulator per se may be' of any desired construction, and in the present illustration, the segmental operated from a pinion gear 7 carried by a 1 1s a view" taken through an'imbeing illustrated apart and 6 gear is driven member 8 'which is actuated by a driving member 9 operated by a suitable handle or crank member, not shown.

, The driving and driven members are operatively connected in a cup-shaped casing 10 forming a brake housing and have abrake mechanism connected therewith to permit unrestricted operation of the device when rotational stress is applied to the driving member, but to oppose operation when rotational stress is applied to the driven member, as a strain on the window member. In the .presentembodiment, the brake housing is preferably formed in one piece and is of substantially cup shape, with its outer peripheral rim flanged laterally, as at 11, and rivet ed or otherwise secured to the bracket 5-, as

' lugs 19 form a drum about which a spring 20 is coiled, the ends of which are inturned, as at 21, into one of the slots between adjacent ends of the lugs. Y 1

The driving member, as above described, is preferably die cast in one piece and the driven member is likewise die cast integral with the pinion gear and consists 'of a collar or flange 22 which tits in the open end of the brake housing and from the side of which opposed to the pinion gear extends a stub member 23 which projects between the lugs of the driving member and carries a driving key 24 adapted to be engaged between the spring ends and the adjacent ends of the lugs 19. A journal 25is integral with and projects outwardly from the pinion gear for engagement in a bearing 26 formed in a portion 27 pressed from the bracket 5 to form a guideway in whichthe toothed edge of the segmental gear is guided.

With the driving member and driven member assembled within the brake housing, a spool shaped drum is provided about which the spring 20 is coiled, the flanges 16 and 22 securing the spring against exerting an end thrust on a stationary part while the window member, not shown, is being operated. The spring 20 is normally under. tension with its ends closer than, the width of the slot between the driving member'lugs so that the periphery of the spring normally frictionally contacts with the brake housing wall. A rotational stress applied to the driving member engages the end of the lug 19 leading the direction of rotation with the adjacent spring inturned end and the driving key 24, tending to coil the spring about the driving member and decreasing its frictional contact with the wall of the brakehousing, permitting unrestricted'rotation of the driving member and consequently the driven member to manipulate the window, not shown, through the pinion 7, segmental gear 6, and the window opcrating arm,'not shown, connected therewith.

A rotational stress applied-to the driven member, as by :a downward jarring of the window member, not shown, or an attempt to open the same by exerting a downward movecreasing its frictional contact With the'brake housing wall and thus firmly securing the mechanism against rotation.

The proj ection 23 of the driven member has a short stiib shaft 28extended from its inner end which is j ournaled in an opening 29 in the end of the flange or collar member 16 to provide a bearing support between the two mem-- bers. The stub shaft 28 preferably has an oifset portion 30 formed -thereon at its base which cooperates with an offset 31 in the opening 29 to prevent the improper assembling of the driving and driven members. I

One end of one lug 19 is tapered or rounded, as at 32, to prevent the improper placing of;

the spring'on the driving member lugs and the opposite end of the nextlug is notched, as at 33, to receive the adjacent inturned'ends of the spring, as shown in Figure2. It will be thus apparent that the rounded end of one of the lugs 19 and the key or offset 30 on the 100.1

stub shaft 28 cooperate to eliminate all possi bility of wrong assembling of the device. and further that the shaft 28 having a bearing in the opening 29 maintains the driving member and driven member sition.

Actual experience has proven the device illustrated to have ample strength to withstand the severe usage towhich devices of this character are subjected, but if desired, the

gear 7 may bereinforced by a shroud plate or washer'34; fitted over the journal 25 and havlng a plurality of openings 35 therein to receive tits or lugs 36 formed integral with the gear, as best illustrated in Figure 5. In this 1 construction the teeth of the pinion gear are shrouded by a metal washer having greater tensile strength than that of die cast met-alto thus prevent any possibility ofchipping or. breaking off of the gear teeth. 7

In Figure 6, the driven member is die cast or otherwise formed in two pieces, the pinion gear 7, journal 25 and shroud plate 34 being integral, and theflange 22, stub member 23 and key 24 being integral; The outer face of r the flange 22 is recessed, as at 37, complementary to the inner end ofthe gear 7, which is pressed therein to form the driven member assembly.

rom the foregoing description taken in a in proper concentric po- 105 connection with the accompanying'drawing, ltwill be readily apparent to those skilled'in .the art to which an invention of the character ranged that their disconnection and improper also be ap clutch mechanism which readily appertains, that I have provided an improved clutch mechanism especially designed for use in connection withwindow regulators of automotive vehicles wherein a minimum number of parts are necessary and the parts are so arnormally stationary housing, a rotatable sisting of a shaft portion,

driving member formed-in one piece and coninner'end thereof, a pair of spaced'lugs projected from ri heries struck on 'an arc having the axis 0 the shaft portion asacenter and a journal portion formed onthe shaft juxta-posed the flange, a bearing member at the closed end of the stationary housing in which the journal portion -of the shaft-is journaled, the flange being lo.-'

member a rotatable driven located within and lugsof the driving cated within the housing, member consisting of a part the housing between member and a driving key carried thereby and having an 'endlocated between adjacent ends of the drivingmember lugs, and a springcoiled about the. lugs of the-driving member with its ends inturncd between adjacent ends 'f member tending to spread of the lugs and disposed at opposite sides 0 the driving key,,the' peripheral surface-of the driving member spring normally frictionally gripping the to resist rotation 'of the driving member therein, whereby rotational stress applied tothe driving member. draws the spring ends together to tional contact between the ,spring and housing and rotational stress applied to the driven reduce the fricmember tendsto spradthe inturned'ends of the spring to increase its frictional contact housing. {it "I I 2. In a device of the character described,

a normally stationary housing, a rotatable having one end located with- I in the housing. and :"including a. shaft having "1125.111116]? end 'extendedinto the housing, a

fflange on the inner end; ofthe shaft and acup .member extended axially having its wall slotted-to from the flange and form two complementary-abutments, aspi ing coiled aboutthe cup-member with its ends inturned between 'tlie' abutments, her. having one ,end Land includingastuti'shaft extended into the and a rotatable driven mem inthe housing 1 space b tween; the'idriving member lugs, a flangeion--the .outerlend 'of' said-shaft and closing. thefoperigendl of the brake housing shaft a drivingkeyfearried the stuba flange on thethefia'nge andjhaving their pe I end located-in-the housing and including a stub shaft extended :into the the lugs of the driving "musing i e stet eni and a"'stub slia'ft:

nd h r en inherran having.a.be arand engaged between the inturned ends of the spring and the abutm nts, the shaft,

flange and driving key being formed in one piece, rotational "stress applied'to the driv- 'ing member tendingto ends to reduce the frictional'contact between the spring and housing and a. rotational stress in the housing andfinclud'ing a shaft having "fItS inner end extended flange. on the innerend of the shaft and a cup member extended axially'from the flange and having its wall slotted to form two abutmember utments,

ments, at spring'coiled about the on with its ends inturned between the a and a1rotatabl'e drive-n member having on ace betweenthe dr'iving member lugs, a ange on the outer end-0f said 'shaftand ried by the stub shaft" and engaged between the inturned ends of'the-spring and the abutmen'tsand a pinion gear on the flange out- 1 the driven member spring to increase its frictional contact with.

the housing.

4. In adev'ice a normally stationary housing, a-rotatable driving-memberhaving" one end. located within the housing, a rotatable driven mem-v ber having one endvlocated within the housing, a pair of spaced lugs carried by the 4 [end of the drivingmeniber within the hous-' ing, a spring coiled'aboutthe-lugs of the driving member with its ends finturned be tween adjacent ends of the lugs,-.the periph eral surface of ally gripping the wallet the housing to re-" sis-t rotation of the drivin member therein,

a driving key carried. bythe driven member and engageable between the intnrned endsofl I the spring and the adj acent.

lug, ends, w reby rotational stress. applied-"to the driving-"i member contracts'the-spring end's 'andreducesthe frictional contact between housing and rotates to increase its frictionaMcontact-with the contract the spr ng into the housing, a 8

, 7 closing the.open" end of the brake housing, a driving key carspring and housof the character described, 1

the spring normally friction- 5 tha driven member; and a a rotational stress appliedjto-the 'drivenmjemf 1 ber, spreads the inturned; 'e'ndsz-of' the; spring-- I.

fthe member, m the inner lug ends,

housing,

ing a recess in the inner end, of the drivoing member, the component parts of. the

member withinthe ho'using, a spring coiled about the lugs of the driving member with its ends inturned between adjacent ends of the lugs, the peripheral surface of the spring nor- .mally, frictionally gripping the wall of the housing to resist rotation of the driving meme ber therein, a drivingikey ca'rriedby the driven member and engageable between the inturncd ends of the spring and the adjacent the driving member draws the spring ends together to reduce the frictional contact between the spring and housing and rotates the driven member and a rotational stress applied to the driven member tendsto spread the inturned ends. of the spring to increase its frictional contact with the housing and prevent rotation of the member, and a stud shaft ex-.

tended from the inner endof the driven member and having a bearing in a recess in the inner end of the driving member.

6. In a device of the. character described, a normally stationary housing, a rotatable driving member having one end located within the housing, a rotatable driven member having one end located within the housing, a pair'of spaced lugs carried by the end of the driving member within the housing, a spring coiled about the lugs of the driving member with its ends inturned between adjacent ends of the lugs, the peripheral surface of the spring normally frictionally gripping the wall of the housing to resist rotation of a drivingmemher, a driving key carried by the drivenfimenr her and disposed between the inturned ends of the spring and the adjacent lug ends whereby rotational stress applied to the driving member contracts the spring endsto reduce the frictional contact between the spring and housing and .a rotationalstress applied to the driven member spreads'the inturned ends of the spring to increase'its frictional contact with the housing and resist the rotation of the member, and means preventing the assembling of the device in any way other than with the driving key engaged between the in turned ends of thespring and the adjacent ends ofthe lugs. in '5.

7. In a device of the character described, a

I i normally stationary housing, a rotatable drivspaced lugs carried by the endof the driving I member within thehousing, aspr'ing coiled. about the lugs of the drivingm ing member having one-end located within the housing, a rotatable driven member having one end located within the housing, a pair'of contact with thewhereby rotational stress applied to mher Withits anaemia ends inturned betweenadjacent ends of the lugs, the peripheral'surface ofthe springnormally frictionally gripping the wall of the housing to resist rotation of the driving member therein, a driving key carried by the driven member and engage-able between the inturned ends of the spring and the adjacent lug ends, whereby rotational stressapplied to the driving member draws the spring ends to--.

"gether to reduce the frictional contact between the spring and honsingand rotates the driven member and a rotational stress appliedto the driven member tends to Spread the'inturned ends of the sprin housing and prevent. rota: tion of the member, a stud shaft extended from i-h'e inner end of the driven member and of the driving member,- and cooperating'means between the stud shaftand the driving member recess for preventing the assembling of the device other than with the driving key located between the ends which the spring ends-are located. a

8. In a device of the-character described, a normally stationary housing,- a rotatable driving member having one end located withinthe housing, a rotatable driven member. having one end located within the spaced lugs carried by the end of the driving member within the housing, a spring coiled about the lugs of the driving member with its to increase its; frictionalhaving a bearing in a recess in theinner'e'nd of the lugs betyveen i so housing, a pair of ends interned between adjacent ends of the 4' lugs, the peripheral surface of mally frictionally gripping the wall of the housing to resist rotation of the driving member therein, a. driving key carried by v the driven member and enga'geab-le between the inturned ends of the spring-and theadjacent lug ends, whereby rotational stress applied to the driving member contracts the spring ends to reduce the frictional contact between the spring and housing and rotates thedri'ven member and a rotational stress applied to the driven member spreads the'int urned ends of the spring to increase its fribtional contact with the housing and resist rotation of the member, a stud shaft extended from theinner end of the driven member and having ahearing in a recess in the inner .end of the-driving member, and means incorporated in the driving member to prevent the sec-urement of the spring over its lugs except with its int-urned ends engaged over predetermined adjace at ends of-the lugs. I Y v 9. In a device of the'characte'r described, a normally stationary housing, a rotatable driving member having inthe housing and including a shaft having its inner end'extended into the housing. a flange on the inner end of the shaft and two complementary lugs extended axially from the flange, a spring coiled about the lugs with its ends-inturned between adjacent ends of the lugs, a rotatable drivenmember-having one thesorin norone end located with- 1 v 1,ese,eea

- lug ends and a pinion gear on the flange Outwardly of the housing, the driven member shaft, flange, driving key and plnion'gear being die cast in one piece, and a shroud plate at the outer end of the gear to reinforce the same, rotational stress applied to the driving member tending to contract the spring ends to a jection reduce the frictional contact between the spring and housing and a rotational stress applied to the driven member tending to spread the ends of the spring to increase its frictional contact with the housing.

10. In a device of the character described,

a normally stationary Housing, a driving member extended into the housing, a driven member extended into the housing, a drive connection between the members and located within the housing, a pinion ear die cast integral with the driven member, a tit on the outer end of each pinion gear tooth, and a shroud plate having a plurality of openings adapted to receive the tits on the pinion gear teeth, said tits being burred over the plate to secure the same in place. 7

' 11. In a device of the character described, a normally stationary housing, a rotatable driving member formed in one piece and consisting of a shaft portion, a flange on the inner end thereof and a cylindrical projection extended from the flange and having a longitudinal slot therein, a bearing member at the closed end of the stationary housing in which the portion of the shaft adjacent the flange is journaled, the driving member flange and projection being located within the housing, a

rotatable driven member consisting of a part located within the housing and a driving element extended between the adjacent edges of the driving member projection slot, and a spring coiled about the driving member prowith its ends inturned into said slot and disposed at opposite sides of the driving element, the peripheral surface of the spring normally frictionally gripping the wall of the housingto' resist rotation of the driving member thereln whereby rotational stress applied to the driving member draws the spring ends together to reduce the frictional contact between the spring and housing and rotational stress applied to the driven member tends to spread the inturned ends of the spring to increase its frictional contactwith the housing.

12. In a device of the character described, a normally stationary housing, a rotatable driving member formed in one piece and consisting ofa shaft portion, a flange on the inner end thereof and a cylindrical projection extended from the flange and havin a longitudinal slot therein, a bearing mem or at the closed end of the stationary housing in which the portion of the shaft'adjacent the flange is journaled, the driving member flange and projection being located within the housing. a rotatable driven member formed in one piece and consisting of a part located within the housing, a driving element extend ed between the adjacent edges of the driving member projection slot, a flange disposed exteriorally of the housing and a spur gear projected from the driven member flange, and a spring coiled about the driving mem ber projection with its ends inturned into said slot and disposed at opposite sides of the driving element, the peripheral surface of the spring normally frictionally gripping the wall of the housing to resist rotation of the driving member therein whereby rotational stress applied to-the driving member draws the spring ends together to reduce the frictional contact between the spring and housing and rotational stress applied to the driven member tends to spread the inturned ends of the spring to increase its frictonal contact with the housing.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature.

CHARLES L. oooemim. 

